Farm Europe welcomes AGRI Committee approach on the simplification of the Industrial Emission Directive

Farm Europe welcomes the adoption by the European Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development of targeted amendments to simplify the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED), in particular the clarification related to cattle that should not be included in the scope of this regulation, neither be assessed by the European Commission in this context, and the principle of proportionality by reverting to fixed capacity thresholds for other livestock installations.

The approach proposed by ComAGRI would provide clarity for the ruminant sector and send a clear signal : cattle should not be included in the IED, and this option shall not be assessed by the European Commission. In addition, through fixed capacity standards rather than complex livestock unit calculations, reducing compliance burden for operators while maintaining the highest environmental standards globally.  Fixed capacity thresholds for pigs and poultry return to the original framework, restoring the regulatory clarity and certainty that producers need. 

An extended timeline for uniform operating conditions (September 2027 rather than 2026) would provide competent authorities and the sector adequate time for implementation, including Commission impact assessment of proposed measures.

The amendments balance administrative simplification with environmental effectiveness as they remove redundant complexity without reducing protection for soil, water, and air.

The only aspect we regret is the adoption of Compromise 2 on the aggregation rule, as it does not fully reflect the objective of simplification and risks introducing additional costs and administrative burdens, particularly for smaller companies. In our view, it would be preferable to delete the aggregation requirement altogether.

Farm Europe thanks to rapporteur Christine Singer for her work on the file, and all MEPs involved and encourages the Environment Committee and the European Parliament to align with the AGRI position during the legislative process. Maintaining consistency is essential for coherent climate and circular economy policy.